Strength in Numbers

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Distributed Learning Communities

This week I was able to experience first hand the power of a Distributed Learning Community (DLC) working on our projects for classes I'm taking through the University of Northern Iowa. As our team worked together to complete two different projects, we were able to experience first hand what Dr. Christopher Dede explains in his two part article in T.H.E. Journal. (Article Part I), (Article Part II) as an inquiry based approach where the independent knowledge and learning of the individuals is shared with one another to advance the collective group. To accomplish this it is critical that the four characteristics of a DLC are met.

The 4 characteristics of a Distributed Learning Community

• Diversity of Expertise
• Clearly Defined and Shared Objective to Advance the Collective Knowledge
• Emphasis on Learning How to Learn
• Mechanisms for Sharing What is Learned

This is definitely a change in thinking for our self centered, move ahead of each other society. We have been taught to work hard to reach your goals. These are individual goals, not collective. In school it can quickly become a competition. Is that truly what we was for our children?

Currently, the majority of our classrooms are a place our children go to receive and act on information individually and in groups. Occasionally, they have the opportunity to explore a topic with someone outside of their classroom. It is a segmented approach to learning.

This year Prairie High School introduced an new option to our high school students. It is a project based learning program they've titled Global Generation or G2. This is one example of how we are beginning to more examples of moving to collaborative learning.

In order for DLCs to become a common place experience for our students, educators must experience them to realize the impact they can have on our student's individual and collective success. Professional learning days would be an option for introducing the concept, but in order for it to be effective and applied to the classrooms, educators need to participate in a DLC themselves. This past week drove that reality home for me. Learn by doing makes much more of an impact. I now better understand how the expertise and focus of our team members can facilitate and support collective advancement, and at a more rapid and effective pace than had it been an individual project.

As a cohort how can we advance this type of thinking. By starting conversations, sharing what we are doing in our DLC, and building DLCs within our schools. Next year we're planning on using Edmodo in our Library/Technology encore class. Edmodo is a social network for students and teachers. Now I'm thinking that this will also be a great facilitator for a DLC for the teachers in not only our school, but entire district.

Imagine...

Imagine if all of our teachers had the opportunity to experience and belong to a Distributive Learning Community as dynamic as ours. How quickly would our education system change? Imagine how this shared vision, diversity of expertise, and the ability to share our learning could impact the future for our students.


Image source:
Scott Maxwell. "Working Together Teamwork Puzzle Concept". 16 December 2007. Flickr. Lumaxart's photostream. 21 May 2012. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2137737248/sizes/m/in/photostream/>